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Reviews & Tips

  • 0

    A great wine bar with excellent food and a solid beer selection to match.  Perfect for an after-work drink or dinner out.  The tables aren't on top of each other, so you may find a wait on a Friday or Saturday night.

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  • 0

    Our server really knew her wine.  She made great recommendations based on our taste preferences and allowed us to try a few of the wines before deciding on a bottle.  

    I came here with a large group and ordered a bunch of small plates and appetizers.  All of the plates were wonder but the fried chickpeas were amazing with a hint of spice at the end. The extra virgin olive oil ice cream with sea salt was perfectly balance to clean the palate after the meal.

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  • 0

    Excellent and knowledgeable people. Feel free to have them direct you on your orders, especially if you know a little bit of what you're looking for. Good and Great small plates, wines and desserts. Lots of attractive meat and vegetarian options. Cannot recommend it more highly.

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  • 0

    I've been here twice during two job-hunting and house-hunting expeditions to Richmond.  Secco and I hit it off from the start.  I think Secco (and the wine and cheese contained therein) will ease the transition from NYC to RVA.

    Less about me, more about Secco:
    ** all staff are friendly, no wine snob pretentiousness found here.
    ** I only drink white, the selection is great, rotating and carefully matched to the menu.
    **Tip:  don't get overwhelmed by the cheese selections, just ask them to pair a few cheeses (or meats if that's your thing) with your wine selections

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  • 0

    Nice small wine bar with some unique wine selections and a decent beer menu. The charcuterie plate and cheese plate were tasty as were the squid ink pasta and grilled octopus. I recommend trying one of the wine flights.

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  • 0

    Came back here with some friends for dinner this time.

    SERVICE:  Waitress was amazing.  She was very attentive and was very knowledgeable about the wines.  She knew which wines would go well with each dish which is really important for 5 star service.

    WINE:  I got a fruity cold white wine that was really refreshing.  I wish I could remember the name so I could recommend it since this place specializes in wine after all (sorry guys!).  

    FOOD:  Tried the potato gnocchi, friend got the squid ink pasta, another friend got the squid ink pasta with chicken liver(?)  and we also got the salted caramel espresso gelato.  Everything was really good but my favorite dish was the squid ink pasta with chicken liver.

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  • 0

    I've eaten here a few times- twice for dinner and once for brunch.

    I've always enjoyed the wine selection here. They offer a flight a week (yesterday it was rioja).

    They have an extensive cheese menu (it's on the BACK of the regular menu, which I didn't even know to check!) but we had the cheese flight (hard cheeses from Spain-delicious!) and they kept refilling our bread. This could have been my entire dinner, the portions were so generous.

    I also got those arranciata (risotto balls). they were a little bland and I wished it was a tomato sauce but they were good enough.

    And pasta (what can I say, the menu is tempting) with ollie speck and pecorino sauce (good).

    The boy got the burger, which I liked (i thought it was the best of the bunch), but he didn't like the dilly mayo.

    Service was fantastic- attentive but not intrusive.

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  • 0

    I tried to like this place...but they get a big fat NO. I give 2 stars only because I'm a sucker for presentation (Charcuterie served on trendy little slab of slate that allows server to write name of  what you're eating in chalk).

    Food is decent, nothing quite as special as the price might suggest. ***If you've read my reviews you know that I'm no stranger to paying good money for my food***

    The rations here are just that: RATIONS. Tapas are not, by any means, going to put you in a food coma; they are, however going to put enough bites in your tummy to keep you away from the pizza shop on the corner after you leave the restaurant (Yes, I walked to BlowToad on my way home that night).

    Apps::  There where 3 shrimp, no cranberries, & no bok choy in my shrimp w cranberry & bok choy.
    Sampler::  There were 5 pieces of pasta and no kale in my friend's ricotta & kale-stuffed pasta. The taste here was great, but the portions are more representative of the meals I feed my toddler.
    Charcuterie::  Very nice selection. If you're new, try something like lomo and prosciutto (pork)  with a monte enebro cheese.
    Bread::  may have been that particular night, but I could barely eat my breakfast the next morning due to how badly my mouth was ravaged by that overbaked crostini they served with my 'meal'
    Service::  Meh...We sat at the bar (very little seating in here btw) and the tender had absolutely NO suggestions for our wine pairings.

    If you want to try it, go ahead. Good luck ;) I'd go after dinner for charcuterie or for a quick lunch if I were to go again.

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  • 0

    I am updating my review after having been back several times.  A good waiter makes all the difference!  The food and wine has been on point and I have nothing but good things to say since my first review.

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  • 0

    Cool spot in Carytown. Gives the sense that you're outside of Richmond. Sat at the bar split the bottle of sancerre, a couple of cheeses, and the boar. Will go back!

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  • 0

    -- 4.5 Stars --

    I am so happy I finally visited Secco last weekend with my boyfriend. I'm already thinking about our next date night here, a future girls night out with the ladies, a nice outing with the roomies...basically I have fallen absolutely in love with the place. In love!

    I will admit that after reading several reviews from other Yelpers, I was a little worried that service would be stingy. Far from it! Our waiter was incredibly attentive and helpful with our selections, even when he found out we weren't there to drink too much. We had just enjoyed a few drinks at New York Deli across the street and were just looking for a nice bite to eat, and our waiter definitely obliged!

    The fried chickpeas are as good as everyone raves about - really! I probably could have eaten three orders of those by myself. The fried Gorgonzola-stuffed olives were a little too salty for me, but my boyfriend loved them. We then ordered two small plates. The squid-ink bucatini with shrimp and pistachio was good, but I was expecting a lot more flavor from it. However, my boyfriend's selection of the chickpea gnocchi with braised lamb was so amazing that I wish we had ordered two!

    Secco is a Carytown must-visit! I seriously cannot wait to come back!

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  • 0

    This is a review of the bar / drink experience only.  We did not have any food here.

    I'm a beer nerd so it's hard for me to get really excited about any wine bar.  They had a few microbrews on tap including a black lager and porter from Devil's Backbone which were both quite good.  A couple guys in our group who are into wine enjoyed what they had and remarked that the prices on wine-per-glass were quite reasonable.

    Our waitress seemed to have a decent amount of knowledge around the beer and wine selections.  She was friendly and attentive as well.

    This is a very small joint so if you have a group larger than four you'll need to stake claim to a section of the bar or grab the larger community table in front which seats up to about 8 people.

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  • 0

    Excellent small places and drinks, and unlike other places they don't try to totally gouge you on price. $3 fried chickpeas? I can dig that. Stuffed olives were also good.

    Their bigger plates weren't quite as good. Next time I return it'll solely be for wine/small plates.

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  • 0

    So after quite some time away from Secco, we decided to return.  Same song, different glass of wine.  I really like the people there, the menu choices are compelling and unique, but hot damn are their pours stingy!

    I've heard folks make a strong case for smaller pours, for the sake of the wine consumption, but the price does not match.  Am I the one who is off, here?

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  • 0

    If you're at least late twenties, try it out...otherwise you might feel a little out of place like we did.  The wine was delicious, as were the tapas.  My complaint lies with the fact that the bartender took one look at us and decided we weren't worth his time.  Despite being dressed up, clearly looking for a classy night out, and ready to spend some money, he gave us little to no help with menu recommendations.  When I asked what cheese plate would complement my wine choice, he actually said, "Uhh, sorry I don't know," and left to give EXTENSIVE recommendations to the people adjacent!  He never ended up helping us...

    I almost got up and left.  Alas, I will probably give Secco another chance because I really want to like it!  Conclusion:  I should have brought a resume to prove I qualified for a seat at the bar.  If only he'd known we left to make a 7:30p reservation at Acacia...

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  • 0

    This place had a fun beer selection. It was small but unique. We didn't eat but the food looked good. (tapas)... (expensive tapas)... my one complaint is the bar tender served me a drink in my previously used glass. To some that's ok but not too me.

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  • 0

    You pretty much can't go wrong with some wine and cheese at Secco! I recently had a great sparkling red wine there that I have been jonsing for ever since. This is a great place to meet friends after work to catch up, or to grab a drink before a movie at The Byrd!

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  • 0

    Came here excited for a late lunch based on the reviews, but left so disappointed!

    The food was fine, a little bit underwhelming, but nothing bad:

    The garlic bread smelled much better than it actually tasted.
    The chicken liver crostini was fine, but very one note.
    The charcuterie was all just missing something to tie it together.  Needed pickles and something heavier than the applesauce they provided (maybe a thick apricot or fig jam?)  The best thing on the plate was the sheep's blue cheese, but after one or two bites, it became overwhelmingly salty.

    The reason I'm giving this one star is the service.  It was absolutely awful, as if we were being ignored on purpose!  At one point, I had been waiting for a water refill for 10 minutes, and a waitress came by to fill up the neighboring table's water glasses but not mine!  Since the two top tables are extremely close to each other, I dont see how she could've missed me.

    I watched our waitress checking her phone and shining wine glasses the entire time I was trying to get her attention to put in my order, get water, and get the check.

    I left disappointed and won't be back.

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  • 0

    This Carytown restaurant is doing it right. Everything from the atmosphere, service, and quality of the food and drinks, this place is a true gem in Richmond. Lunch Is a great deal and you can buy interesting wine for home use as well. Apart from one bad experience where a waitress forgot a few items we ordered, my experiences there have been well above average. The small plates promote sharing, and a communal table experience, and the chefs use ingredients smartly, interesting and creatively. The menu is always changing, has something for everyone, and it's a great opportunity to try new things in Richmond even for the most well rounded foodie.

    Though some would consider the plates pricey for their small/moderate size, i think this is an instance where quality and price match in harmony. Secco is a shining example of quality over quantity.

    If you're looking to spend less, or have a snack and a drink, the cheese plate, wine flight and appetizer options are creative and reasonably priced The wine list is unmatched in Richmond and they have quite a few interesting beers as well. Definitely worth the wait, and a great spot for a date or out of town visitor.

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  • 0

    Secco wine bar is a must if you're in the area. I stopped in for a late night snack and a few glasses of wine after a movie with the wife. Not a big place but the perfect size for a nice ambience. It was a busy night so we grabbed a couple of seats at the bar.

    Started out the evening with a nice glass of sparkling Cava with an order of the gorgonzola stuffed fried olives. A nice compliment if you ask me. Next we got the lobster risotto, with fresh curry leaves and an order of the lamb sliders. We had dinner before the movie so we didn't have much to eat, even though everything looked good.

    I found the wine list to be very impressive with a nice selection of wines from across the world. My wife had a glass of Cruchet Vouvray and I the Chinon, guess we were feeling the Loire region.

    For dessert we split a glass of Madeira which I have never had a glass which I did not enjoy. Secco is an amazing wine bar with a great knowledgeable staff. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a romantic and casual evening.

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  • 0

    Excellent food, wonderful charcuterie with some particularly hard to find offerings, and a really upliftingly good take on the humble chick-pea: Deep-fried with a bit of pepper and a touch of salt.

    This time around, one of the servers was a bit sharp, but I'm willing to excuse it in exchange for the quality of the food on display. The tasting menu in particular delivered in spades, which was quite nice as I'd never had the pleasure of trying it before.

    Finally, they had a really lovely dark beer of belgian origin on draft, to the glee of my perpetually cheerful girlfriend. I found a rather good sencha green tea on their menu as well, and was quite delighted to be able to haughtily sip my tea.

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  • 0

    A perfect spot to rest your feet after padding around Carytown browsing at the fun gifts at Mongrel, etc.  Secco has a nice list of snacks, charcuterie and small plates. We had intended on just stopping in on an early Friday evening to grab a glass of vino and a snack to refuel and figure out where to go later for dinner, but after looking at the small plates menu, we just decided to keep eating!!

    The wine menu has an interesting variety of sparkling, whites and reds, as well as some cider (and I tried a delicious sparkling pear wine that was perfect with the kale salad with pear and oyster mushrooms).  They also have some off-menu things to try and flights.  My dinner date enjoyed a big off-menu red that didn't have the oakiness that some hate.

    Surprisingly the star was the flavorful menu.  We tried the fried chickpeas when we thought we were just going to get a snack and they were nice and salty and filling.  However, don't get them after other plates because then they taste like french fries!  We got the aforementioned kale salad that tasted a bit pickled, but was nice.  We also ordered the roasted brussel sprouts and cashews with a nice sweet kick (golden raisins and a scrumptious sauce) and the lobster risotto.  Some restaurants skimp on the lobster when doing risotto, but I am happy to report they had 5 huge chunks of lobster on top of the arborio. My hubby and I make risotto a LOT so we know good risotto, and this was cooked to perfection, had a nice buttery, truffle & lobster flavor and with the chunks of lobster? Total tongue tantalization. Every plate had such disparate flavors but it all worked, but order mattered a lot.

    We ended up being full and having all the plates and a glass of wine each for a total of $53. Amazing value for great food. We will definitely be back, ideally at the same time not on an event night because seating is a scarcity, and they won't let you sit down at tables unless you're getting food!

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  • 0

    We stopped into Secco for the first time just after the Carytown Zombie Walk. We forgot the walk was going on (more worried about Restaurant Week crowds) but we figured 3:30 in the afternoon might be a good time to snag a table. Fortunately tables were available although it looked like the restaurant had been hit pretty hard by the zombie crowds. We got a table cleared and after some confusion over what menu was actually available (our waitress blamed the zombies for eating her brains), we settled on a charcuterie board, a glass of Leffre Brune for hubby, and a glass of Nebbiolo for me.

    I loved the variety of the wine list, with few if any of the usual suspects to be found. My Nebbiolo was delicious and I will be seeking out bottles of it for my wine rack. There were also lots of great choices for the charcuterie board. We settled on the Meadow Creek Appalachian, Rogue Smoky Blue, and three meats from Olli's: culatello, wild boar salame, and the bresaola. All of our choices were delicious - especially the meats.

    So I really wanted to try some prepared food from the kitchen but there just really wasn't much available during the off hours that we were there. I'll also excuse our service issues to the timing of our visit.  I was a little put off though that I was told I simply couldn't add on the pickles and mustards that were mentioned on a separate charcuterie menu item. There may have been some confusion here (with little help from our server) but I just wanted a few little extras on our charcuterie board and was willing to pay extra for it (there ended up being a dollop of onion marmalade and apple butter). In spite of a so-so first experience, I think the wine list and some of the dishes on the menu will bring me back to Secco for another meal soon.

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  • 0

    Popped in for a break late October during the Scarytown celebration.  Was treated to a wonderful glass of sparkling pinot noir.  Relaxed, cool, hip vibe - bartender was really nice.  Looking forward to returning for dinner.

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  • 0

    Always inventive and good.  Love the staff too!

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  • 0

    I tried to like this place...but they get a big fat NO. I give 2 stars only because I'm a sucker for presentation (Charcuterie served on trendy little slab of slate that allows server to write name of  what you're eating in chalk).

    Food is decent, nothing quite as special as the price might suggest. ***If you've read my reviews you know that I'm no stranger to paying good money for my food***

    The rations here are just that: RATIONS. Tapas are not, by any means, going to put you in a food coma; they are, however going to put enough bites in your tummy to keep you away from the pizza shop on the corner after you leave the restaurant (Yes, I walked to BlowToad on my way home that night).

    Apps::  There where 3 shrimp, no cranberries, & no bok choy in my shrimp w cranberry & bok choy.
    Sampler::  There were 5 pieces of pasta and no kale in my friend's ricotta & kale-stuffed pasta. The taste here was great, but the portions are more representative of the meals I feed my toddler.
    Charcuterie::  Very nice selection. If you're new, try something like lomo and prosciutto (pork)  with a monte enebro cheese.
    Bread::  may have been that particular night, but I could barely eat my breakfast the next morning due to how badly my mouth was ravaged by that overbaked crostini they served with my 'meal'
    Service::  Meh...We sat at the bar (very little seating in here btw) and the tender had absolutely NO suggestions for our wine pairings.

    If you want to try it, go ahead. Good luck ;) I'd go after dinner for charcuterie or for a quick lunch if I were to go again.

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  • 0

    The Tortilla Española was authentic and delicious. So was everything else we had including real Padron peppers and a spectacular Lobster risotto.  The desserts were equally yummy. Wine selection was varied and interesting. The service was professional and friendly.  Matt, our waiter is a true star!!! Thanks, Secco, we had a great time!  You have raving fans here!

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  • 0

    I swear... I want to like this place so bad... As do everyone I've been here with but the vibe just kinda sucks for me & my friends.

    Perhaps I'm not granola or gay enough..? I dunno but something just never sits right with me here, yet I keep going back again thinking it'll be better.

    Oh well... Maybe one day I can say something good... But won't say anything bad... Just not my scene I guess

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  • 0

    We really enjoyed a late afternoon drink and munch at Secco during a recent trip to Richmond. We each had a glass of wine (one of the best Rieslings I have ever had) and three cheeses. The cheeses were wonderful and presented nicely. They were served with delicious jams that we could have eaten plain. The service was good and the experience was great. Only complaint is that my bf swears he ordered a $6 glass of wine and he was charged $10. We didn't care enough to mention it at the time. Overall, a good place to visit - the rest of the food looked delicious, but we had to leave room for dinner!

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  • 0

    I went here with a few friends while on a trip to Richmond.  We started our evening off here, and were a little confussed because the waitress was really no help.  She offered no real knowledge of wine or gave us a recommendation.  Going to a wine bar you expect someone who is friendly and ready to hook you up with a great experience.  I dont suggest their wine flight it was disaapointing.  The apps were nice.  the crab custinis were great, and the cheeses were fresh and presented well.  They have a large variety to choose from.  We only stayed 1round, but it we had been given more suggestions we might have stayed longer.

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  • 0

    Secco is the place to go if you're looking for a nice glass of wine and some classy eats in Carytown.

    It's my favorite place for date nights when I was to impress or chat with my date. It's cozy enough that you can actually hold a good conversation without having loud music blared over you. The menu and wines run a bit high, but the presentation and quality is understandable.

    Even their tea, cola and coffees are excellent. I recommend trying a Fentiman's cola here if you've never done so before. You haven't had soda till you've had that.

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  • 0

    What can I say? I haven't had anything to eat or drink here that I have not liked or loved. They have a good selection of wines (and a few beers) to choose from. I usually go for the cheese and charcuterie board when I'm there but have branched out to a few other items as well. They have these Fried Chickpeas, OMG, I could snack on those all day! Crunchy with just a little kick from the special pepper they put on them balanced by a buttery nutty cheese coating. I like that they have small plate items and this is a great place to go with 2-3 friends and share a bunch of items while splitting a bottle of wine.

    I liked them on Facebook and always see the newest food items in my news feed, which always make me want to drool.

    The staff here are always helpful in giving a recomendation and the bar constently has new wine features. They also just started this promotion for the summer called Acid Hour where you can get $2 off Reislings Mon-Friday from 4-6pm.

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  • 0

    The food and booze are great. The wife loves it here. Only problem? This place gets mad pricey real quick. Still, a great spot and one of the better wine bars ive been to.

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  • 0

    Oh hello there.

    I spent one of the best nights of my life at Secco Wine Bar. My wife and I were meeting a coworker and his wife out. It was the first time we'd all met. We went to dinner first, then decided to hang out at Secco afterward.

    We spent several hours at Secco. Time flew by, and we had a fabulous time. All of the wine recommendations were top notch. I had two glasses of the strangest, sourest beer known to man, and I loved every sip.

    How did I wind up with a sour beer? Simple. I asked the waitress for a recommendation, and she told me some things. Then she said, "Oh, and we have this crazy sour beer if you're interested. It's absolutely mad!" So I ordered it. The first few drinks were like drinking fermented atomic warheads, but then I got used to it and the beer was delightfully reverent. I ended up drinking two of these delicious brews.

    We shared some food. The pork rillettes tasted like someone crammed heaven into a little glass jar. My wife got a cheese plate that came with apple butter. It was delicious. We ate all the food and talked about it for days afterward.

    Secco is a great backdrop for those memorable social experiences like meeting new friends or maybe catching up with old ones. The atmosphere is laid back but nice, and it was quiet enough inside that we could chat without screaming our voices hoarse.

    The bathroom was clean.

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  • 0

    When I like a restaurant I become obsessed with it.  I dream about it, look at it's menu daily online, plan excuses to get my boyfriend to take me there - no other restaurant will satisfy my hunger...I am currently 100% obsessed with Secco!

    My first visit was a lunch visit and I was floored by all of the delicious panini's they had to choose from!  I ended up getting the smoked salmon, dill, and creme fraiche panini with a side of fried chickpeas.  Oh my gosh this sandwich made me wanna smack my momma (sorry mom!). The flavors were so good and the bread was very fresh and tasty!  And the chickpeas!  They were crunchy on the outside and creamy in the inside - delish!

    Last night we went for dinner and got a really yummy bottle if rose and a cheese board.  I am such a sucker for a cheese board and this one did not disappoint!  You can pick three or five different cheeses - all different flavors and textures!  I will definitely be going back to enjoy another cheese board very soon!

    Moral of the story - this place is delicious and super cool and you'll probably see me there every time you go!

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  • 0

    Came here with a few friends and lounged around. The atmosphere was perfect for mingling. The large windows overlooking Cary St. is perfect for people watching... and winking (is that appropriate?) Anyway, this was my first wine bar and this place made a good enough impression I rated a 5 star.

    The wine was amazing! I love red wines so the Benotto Nebieul from Italy was EXQUISITE! :) I would definitely come back here again and lounge with a glass of wine and maybe next time try out their food.

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  • 0

    I will chime in and agree with the ilk of the reviews here. Good wine and (small) beer selection. Good food with some interesting flair. Nice ambiance- if a little noisy. Generally good service but sometimes rude when they are busy. Food pricey but lots of decent beverages at the lower end of the pricing spectrum.
    Definitely worth checking out for a laid-back glass of wine and a snack.

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  • 0

    Perhaps I was expecting too much from Secco.  I love River City Cellars so much that I would have its babies if I could and Secco has so many great reviews that I was jumping out of my skin to try the awesomeness that I was sure Secco would be.

    It was okay.

    The wines were basically reasonably priced and there were as many of them, in as good a variety as I would expect from a wine bar attached to a wine store.  The food and snacks would all go well with wine and the kitchen only stops serving at 11 when the bar closes at 12.  Even when the kitchen closes they have some snacks available.

    I have no doubt that 13$ is a reasonable price for a glass of fancy wine but my sister and I -as recently post college working class- found it a bit hard to stomach and stuck to the wines that were 9$ and under.  From all the reviews I'd heard I was excited about "the cheese plate". I'd pictured a few options of particular flights of cheese on the menu served with crackers and maybe some little fruits as garnish.  I feel like I'm on crack or something because I cannot remember this being on the menu at all even though previous yelpers say it's there.  I swear I wasn't drunk when I got there.

    I found only single cheeses you can pick and they'll put them on a -nifty- little slate together with smears of fruit preserves next to them and crostini in a bowl on the side.  I would have appreciated a little guidance on what cheeses to pick together on the menu or maybe from our waiter but we found none.  In his defense we did come in at 11pm and he looked awfully tired.  

    So, I'm kind of bummed that the cheeses weren't available in flights and I'm really bummed that they were so consarn expensive.  I posted a picture of the three cheeses I got for 15$.  I'm sorry, but that is not 15$ worth of cheese.

    The wine was good, the decor/presentation is very nice, the service was good but the snacks/food were too expensive.  I will probably come back for a nice mellow wine tasting in order to figure out what bottles of wine I'll be buying at Secco later but I will definitely go before or after dinner, not for dinner.  It's just a little pricey for me.

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  • 0

    You literally can not go wrong with anything at Secco.

    I have been a few times on Friday nights were it is standing room only and you have to hover (politely) over patrons at the bar until they leave and you can snag their seats.  But if you go on a Sunday afternoon (and who doesn't love to while away a few hours nibbling on cheeses and desserts and making their way through all the wines by the glass?) or for an early Happy Hour right after work you will have plenty of elbow room.  You will also get really stellar service from the staff.  They are always quick to pour tastes of a number of wines to help you pick your poison and ask the right questions to come up with the perfect recommendation.  

    Last night they helped us settle on the Bergerie Cremont de Loire (a dry sparkler, as we were toasting, $6/glass) to go with the covadonga (a heavenly creamy blue cheese from Spain), truffeto (a nutty semi soft from Italy flecked with truffles) and montenebro (another take on blue cheese, more subtle).  Add some peppery salume toscana and salty jamon iberico and we were thrilled with the resulting scrumptious "meal."

    I love the "sampling" aspect of this kind of dining experience.  I don't always want to married to one bottle of wine for the night and since all of their wines are available by the glass it is the perfect way to try something new all night.  And its the same with the meat and cheese trays - the perfect introduction to flavors and combinations that you might not otherwise have the opportunity to try.

    Best of all, everything that is available at Secco can be purchased to go next door at River City Cellars.

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  • 0

    I had my first visit to Secco last night and OMG I'm in love! As the other reviewer noted, this place is hoppin. It's new, small and very popular. Lucky for my friend and I we were able to snag a seat on the comfy couch at the front of the restaurant (it has waiter service but you can't order food) while we waited for a table. I started with a glass of sparkling white and she got a lambrusco. Both were very good.

    After not too long, two seats opened at the bar, so we sidled over there. It must have taken us 20 minutes to decide what to order. Everything on the menu looked sooo good. There's a long list of cured meats and cheeses. You can get 1 for $5, 3 for $15 or 5 for $21. We finally settled on a themed "Spain" plate with Montenebro (a creamy, well-flavored goat cheese), Zamorano (flavor like a mild manchego), Valdeon (amazingly tangy blue cheese), lomo and Serrano ham. I got a Spanish white and my friend got a rose to pair with it. The meats and cheeses come out on slabs and the names are labeled with chalk. Nice presentation. The cheese came accompanied by citrus preserves and raspberry-caramelized-onion preserves. It was all soo good.

    The rest of the menu includes terrines and pates, soups, salads, antipasti, small plates and desserts. There's also a late-night menu that's served after 9 on week days and after 10 on weekends.

    We decided to try the duck terrine with pistachio and dried cherries. and the harissa-marinated octopus with guacamole and pickled red onion. Sooo good! I'm usually kind of 50-50 on pates and terrines because the flavor can be intensely gamey and oaky, but this one was just filled with rich duck flavor. It was studded with pistachios and cherries. Absolutely delicious. The octopus was surprisingly tender and the harrissa gave it a very complex, savory flavor. The gucamole and onion rounded out each bite.

    What impressed me the most about this place was the service. Even though the restaurant was very busy, both the server who helped us and the bartender took time to let us taste each wine before we committed to a glass, to discuss our food and wine pairings, offer suggestions and to make sure we liked everything. If Lincoln is behind the bar when you go, you're definitely in good hands!

    We ended up hanging out late into the evening, and once the kitchen slowed down, the head chef came out and chatted with us about the menu. He said his favorite dishes are the tuna conserva with roasted olives, shaved red onion and sweet marjoram and the duck confit with orange, sauteed asparagus, English peas and a poached farm egg. They confit the duck themselves in house. I can't wait to go back and try both of these dishes!

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